Episode 57 - Combating Loneliness with Community: Scott Weiss from Ocean Accelerator

Today we’re in Cincinnati, Ohio connecting with Scott Weiss with Ocean Accelerator. They have an incredible birth story—coming from the lobby of Crossroads Church in Cincinnati they launched into an accelerator for fast-growing tech companies. For the past few years, they’ve been on a mission to equip faith driven entrepreneurs and owners that bravely step out to change the world. Whether it's their Ocean Conference or their accelerator, they’re committed to investing in entrepreneurs who have a faith in God and a passion for success. As you listen to Scott’s story, you’ll likely hear echoes of what many entrepreneurial journeys sound like. They started in a church lobby where young entrepreneurs gathered for the free WiFi and coffee. What they found was that even though all these startups worked in the same geographical area, they possessed very little community. Scott sheds some light on the loneliness that plagues so many entrepreneurs and how Ocean Accelerator started as an attempt to combat isolation with community. He also dives into the inner workings of Ocean Accelerator—how they operate, how they counsel young businesses, and how they choose the people they work with. Scott also gives a brief taste of what they might be looking forward to in the future. But if you’re looking for a key takeaway, or something that you can write down and think about all day, it’s about understanding your “Why”. Scott talks about the passion, energy, and enthusiasm so many entrepreneurs have, and he shows how connecting those things to an underlying motivator—a “Why”—can be an impetus for future success. Scott Weiss was an incredible guest, and we hope that you enjoy listening to this episode as much as we did making it. His wisdom, insight, and encouragement were illuminating for our team and we believe they will be for you as well. Useful Links: Ocean Accelerator Scott Weiss Entrepreneurial Profile Scott Weiss speaks at Startup Grind Cincinnati